History

Great Lakes Foods has been successfully serving independent grocers in Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois for over 100 years from our 295,000 square foot warehouse in Menominee, MI.

Our location in Menominee is situated perfectly to serve all the Great Lakes state's independent grocers competitively.

The Carpenter Cook Company was founded in 1891 by C.I. Cook, Frank Penberthy and Joseph Somerville with operations on First Street in Menominee. In 1907, a warehouse was constructed on lower First Street (directly west of Menominee Paper Company), and the business continued there for over sixty years.

In 1922, Francis X. St. Peter organized the operation which purchased the business from C.I. Cook.

In 1970, a new warehouse was constructed in the Menominee Industrial Park (our current location). The building was a 104, 000 square foot facility containing storage areas for grocery, frozen and dairy under one roof. The building was purposely designed with built-in construction features that would make future expansions possible. The first expansion took place in 1972. 8500 square feet were added for dairy space and a perishable dock.

in 1976, Farm House Foods Corporation of Milwaukee, purchased all the stock of the Company and continued its ownership until April 1985.

In 1977 another expansion added space to the warehouse. A total of 45,000 square feet were added. 30,000 square feet in dry grocery and 15,000 square feet in frozen.

In 1985, Syncom Corporation of Miami purchased the Company.

In 1986, Fairway Foods, a wholly subsidiary of Holiday Stationstores, Inc, purchased certain assets and property of Carpenter Cook Company and continued operations until June 1999.

in 2000, Kaloti Enterprises reopened the business as Great Lakes Foods.

On January 1st, 2012 ownership was transferred to Menominee businessman Tom Kuber. Since 2012 Great Lakes Foods has added a 5,100 square foot office addition, replacing a trailer that was used for many years adjunct to the main office. In November 2012 groundbreaking took place on a new 40,0000 square foot warehouse addition. The addition consists of a 15,625 square foot freezer, a 10,000 square foot meat cooler, and a 14,000 square foot dry receiving area. Twelve additional shipping/receiving doors were added to the north addition.

Great Lakes Foods President Gene Mylener acknowledged that since the company changed ownership in 2012 the outlook is very positive with new grocers selecting Great Lakes Foods as their supplier. With the additional warehouse space, Great Lakes Foods is able to supply more retail stores throughout the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Wisconsin.